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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27427636">The Hunter and the Wolf</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoyoteGhost/pseuds/CoyoteGhost'>CoyoteGhost</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Overwatch (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Halloween, M/M, Monster Hunter Gabriel, Werewolf Jesse McCree, explicit violence, we’re getting creative with lube</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:27:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,049</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27427636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoyoteGhost/pseuds/CoyoteGhost</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“So, what brings you to this dreary forest on such a lovely day? Got places to go? People to see?”</p><p>As Gabriel hopped the fence, he decidedly ignored the man, waving him off like you would a fly. “Not any of your business. Get out of here and have a good day.”</p><p>OR</p><p>Gabriel returns to Eichenwalde in order to attend the Harvest Festival. After a series of unfortunate events, he takes on the task of delivering a basket to Reinhardt on the other side of the forest. The guide he encounters on the way in isn’t quite what he appears to be.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jesse McCree/Reaper | Gabriel Reyes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Hunter and the Wolf</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Breaking News: local man fucks werewolf, says he ‘definitely recommends it’. More on that at 9</p><p>Hello hello hello!!! After a random burst of inspiration and determination, I have completed my fic for the spooky season (even if it is a bit late)! Also, there’s a few German words, so translations will be at the end notes!</p><p>I hope you guys like it! ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Of all the places in the world that Gabriel had traveled, the bustling village of Eichenwalde, home to many of his dearest friends, had to be his favorite. He was so glad to see it again, especially now that it was finally Autumn.</p><p> </p><p>The leaves had just begun their yearly change when he had wandered his way back. It was such a beautiful sight; fiery reds and auburns danced together as the eastern wind blew, the branches of the trees seemingly beckoning visitors to come closer and stay for a while, and if that wasn’t enough to convince a passerby, then the delectable scent of cinnamon apple cakes and ales, made specially for the month, might just do the trick. It was, after all, the very beginning of the Harvest Festival.</p><p> </p><p>As a monster hunter, Gabriel could hardly ever choose where he would be at any given time, but he always tried to make time to visit Eichenwalde during its region-famous festival. He’d fallen in love with it ever since Reinhardt had forced him to participate when he was still an apprentice. As Gabriel walked down the streets, watching people hang up banners and ready their stalls, a smile tugged at his lips in a way that made his heart swell. The feeling increased tenfold as a child ducked and weaved through the crowd, waving her arms and laughing.</p><p> </p><p>“Uncle Gabe! Uncle Gabe!” The little girl, Fareeha, practically tackled Gabriel in a hug. “I’m so happy you came! I thought you would be too busy!”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel playfully spun Fareeha around in the air before setting her safely back down on her feet. “Too busy to see you? Absolutely not! Who do you think I am? Jack?”</p><p> </p><p>An ice-cold finger jabbed Gabriel so hard in the ribs that he was sure it would bruise. He carefully stepped away when it came back in for another jab, with Fareeha giggling in the background at her mother’s antics.</p><p> </p><p>“Come now, Gabriel,” Ana said, grinning at his glare, “don’t slander Jack, he’s just as busy as you. Hopefully he can join us as well this year.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel rolled his eyes as Ana, Fareeha, and himself all began to walk down the cobblestone street. It wasn’t that Gabriel hated Jack. They had met when they were both young, stupid, and desperate to prove themselves as hunters. They’d even been partners back in the day, too. Eventually, however, they’d both gone their separate ways with enough bad memories to still leave a toxic taste in Gabriel’s mouth whenever the other man was mentioned. He just hoped Ana wasn’t correct; he really wanted to enjoy himself this year.</p><p> </p><p>“Say, where’s old Reinhardt? Is he drinking this early in the day?”</p><p> </p><p>Ana shook her head as all three of them stepped into the doorway of a small house, the one that they all used while in Eichenwalde.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s actually on the other side of the forest,” she said. She placed her coat on the rack by the door, and Gabriel followed suit. He was happy to finally have that heavy thing off. “Apparently there’s been rumors about the Witch of the Wilds recently.”</p><p> </p><p>The Witch of the Wilds? He hadn’t heard that name in years. The last Gabriel knew, the Witch had been chased out of the country and had been laying low elsewhere. He’d made sure of it himself. If she was back, though...</p><p> </p><p>“Gabriel, dear, wipe that look off of your face.” Ana placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, shooing Fareeha off to go play outside with the other kids. “They’re just rumors. As far as we know, it’s probably just a small coven causing trouble, which is why Reinhardt is going to check it out.”</p><p> </p><p>“Has he been there very long?”</p><p> </p><p>They both sat down at the small wooden table in the kitchen, and Gabriel couldn’t help but let all of his tension go when Ana laid out her tea set, pouring them both a cup and then cutting two slices of cake. Nobody knew how to comfort like Ana.</p><p> </p><p>“Please, drink,” she said, and Gabriel didn’t hesitate to do as she’d asked. It was chamomile, his favorite. “Reinhardt has been gone for about a month, but Fareeha has met him a few times at the lake that’s about halfway between us, bringing him food and updating him on Eichenwalde’s progress with the festival.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel couldn’t help but stare somewhat incredulously. “You let her go into the woods on her own?”</p><p> </p><p>“I wasn’t aware she’d done it in the beginning.” Ana paused as she retrieved sugar from one of the cabinets, sprinkling just a little into her glass with a smile. “She was certainly in trouble when I found out, but after a bit of talking, I agreed to let her go as long as I came along, too.”</p><p> </p><p>Ah, that made more sense. Gabriel chuckled; Fareeha was just as strong-willed and stubborn as her mother, and if Ana wouldn’t kill him for saying it, he’d brag about how Fareeha would most likely end up being the best hunter of the next generation. Anyone who could stand up to Ana Amari already had the balls required to kill monsters.</p><p> </p><p>For a while, both Gabriel and Ana enjoyed the silence and peace that they very rarely had. The sun was starting to set now. Through the open window, Gabriel could hear children playing in the streets, many of which were beginning to say their goodbyes for the evening to go home and eat.</p><p> </p><p>“Gabriel?” He turned to look at Ana as she stretched, then began to clean up their dirty dishes. “Would you go fetch Fareeha for me? I’ll stay here and make dinner for all of us.”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel stood from his spot with a groan. After giving her a parting wave, he threw on his coat and stepped out into the street, the chilly evening breeze nipping at his skin. Time to find Fareeha.</p><p> </p><p>For someone so loud and boisterous, she was oddly absent from even the most rambunctious groups of children that had been playing outside. Gabriel spent a solid thirty minutes wandering up and down the streets before he finally broke down and asked other kids if they’d seen her. Every one of them pointed him in a single direction.</p><p> </p><p>The forest.</p><p> </p><p>Of course she would be there. Still, she wouldn’t be careless enough to go exploring right now, would she? Gabriel felt relieved when, upon having hiked closer to the location, heard her laughter. Thank the gods. He really didn’t want to go searching for anybody so late in the afternoon, especially not someone as stubborn as an Amari.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, kid,” Gabriel called, taking a breath as he reached the top of the hill, “you’re mom’s calling for you. It’s dinner time.”</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, there was only silence. Gabriel felt his stomach drop as the seconds ticked by, and after he called out again and received no answer, he carefully pressed forwards.</p><p> </p><p>A rickety wooden fence ran along the edge of the forest. Though it was old and only about chest high, it did a pretty good job of separating the citizens of Eichenwalde and the wild creatures of the forest. Fareeha was leaning against one of the fence posts. She was smiling as she looked into the thick trees, and when Gabriel stepped closer, he saw that she had flowers and herbs in her hands.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing out here?”</p><p> </p><p>Fareeha jumped like she’d been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to do. Upon seeing who had called her, however, she grinned and waved, running over to Gabriel and holding out a flower.</p><p> </p><p>“Look what I got!” she said, allowing Gabriel to take it from her hand while sticking the herbs in her pockets. “Isn’t it pretty?”</p><p> </p><p>It <em>was</em> pretty, but Gabriel had never seen anything like it during his entire time traveling as a monster hunter. It was a small flower by all means, but its stalk and leaves were as black as tar, its petals a vibrant red, so similar to blood that it looked as if it had been dipped in the substance. At least it didn’t smell metallic. The scent it carried was delicate, almost erased by even a gentle breeze, but it was one that Gabriel had never smelled before. It didn’t seem poisonous, either.</p><p> </p><p>“Where did you get this?” he asked, handing it back to Fareeha for safe keeping. “I don’t think I’ve ever-“</p><p> </p><p>Before Gabriel could even finish his sentence, a lone howl echoed through the darkness of the forest. It made every single hair on his body stand on end. Gabriel had barely started to lead Fareeha down the road when he heard a vicious choir of barks and whines and snarls, and he made sure to pull his gun as he grabbed Fareeha and hightailed it back to Eichenwalde.</p><p> </p><p>———</p><p> </p><p>The soft, sweet scent of bread and spices were wafting through the open window of the house by the time Gabriel had dragged Fareeha home.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, welcome back!” Ana greeted, but the smile she wore dissipated as she saw Gabriel’s stress and Fareeha’s tiny pout. “What happened? Is everything alright?”</p><p> </p><p>As Gabriel once again shucked off his coat, Fareeha silently padded her way to the kitchen table where the food was already set out, Gabriel and Ana following suit not soon after.</p><p> </p><p>“Has Eichenwalde had a problem with wolves lately?” he asked. Ana shook her head, passing both him and Fareeha their plates.</p><p> </p><p>“No, not really. Why?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel was respectfully quiet as both Ana and Fareeha gave thanks to whatever gods they believed in, and once they were done, he shoveled food onto his place like he’d never had a meal before in his entire life. He heard Ana snicker at him. A good meal was always enough to lighten the mood, enough so that Gabriel felt relaxed enough to finally smile despite the somewhat serious topic at hand.</p><p> </p><p>“It sounded like the woods were crawling with them when I went up there,” he explained between bites. After he took a sip of water, he added, “what about werewolves or lycans? Have they been around recently?”</p><p> </p><p>Once again, Ana shook her head. “Except for the occasional sheep going missing, the creatures of the forest have kept to themselves. Reinhardt tells me that it’s actually improved in the past year. As for lycans and werewolves, those monstrous beasts were killed out long ago. Good riddance.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well... not all of them are bad, right?”</p><p> </p><p>There was a tense, agonizing moment of silence as Gabriel and Ana turned to look at Fareeha. She picked at her food, obviously wanting to disappear for asking the question yet too stubborn to do so. One hand fiddled idly with the flower in her lap.</p><p> </p><p>“They’re monsters, dear,” Ana said, and though she was confused, her voice was gentle as she corrected her child. “They’re dangerous creatures that can really hurt people, which is why hunters like Uncle Gabe exist. He protects people from monsters like those.”</p><p> </p><p>Another moment passed before Fareeha clutched the flower in her lap and swiftly stood from the table. She muttered a quiet ‘excuse me’ before disappearing into her room, and after a concerned look shared between Gabriel and Ana, the mother followed after her child, leaving Gabriel alone at the table.</p><p> </p><p>———</p><p> </p><p>The next morning didn’t seem to go much better than the night before.</p><p> </p><p>Fareeha was visibly upset. Despite both her mother’s and Gabriel’s attempts to cheer her up and get her to go play, or to at least find something fun to do around the house, all she wanted to do was sit and sulk in silence. It was finally nearing noon when both adults gave up.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” Ana said with a sigh. “Did she act fine when you brought her home?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel nodded. “She was normal. Happy, actually, which is why this is so bizarre.”</p><p> </p><p>With one last glance towards Fareeha’s room, Ana walked towards the kitchen, beckoning for Gabriel to follow. Sitting on the table was something Ana must’ve prepared after he’d gone to sleep; a small wooden basket was filled to the brim with various types of foods, including copious amounts of dried meats, hand pies, and alcoholic drinks, along with a blanket and a stack of obviously important letters placed beside it.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry to ask this of you, Gabriel.” With gentle hands, Ana placed the papers and shawl into the basket, shutting the top with care. “I was going to bring this to Reinhardt with Fareeha before the Harvest Festival started, but with how she is now, I don’t want to leave her alone. Would you go in our stead?”</p><p> </p><p>How could he possibly say no? With a kind smile, Gabriel settled the basket on his arm, and he didn’t stop Ana from giving him a hug after he threw on his coat and gear, then made his way out of the door.</p><p> </p><p>Thus began Gabriel’s journey.</p><p> </p><p>Many people were stirring in the warm midday sun, some carrying gallons of ale on horse-drawn wagons, with others hauling around handmade goods to sell at the festival. Each and every one gave a merry wave as Gabriel walked by them. The crowd only began to thin out the closer Gabriel got to the forest, and by the time he reached the rickety old fence on the very border of the woods, the village of Eichenwalde was long out of sight.</p><p> </p><p>The forest was cold and dark, even with the sun shining. The thick foliage of the trees stopped even a single shred of light from reaching the forest floor, and a heavy mist created a barrier that made it nearly impossible to see through without a lantern. Even the grass on the other side of the fence seemed dead. It was enough to make Gabriel shudder and clutch the gun at his side.</p><p> </p><p>“Welcome back! Did you make it ho- <em>oh</em> <em>shit</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Out of instinct, Gabriel pulled out his gun and aimed it straight at the voice that had spoke to him. After a second of collecting himself, however, he realized that there was probably no need to worry. It didn’t stop him from keeping his gun out, though.</p><p> </p><p>In front of him was a young man, probably in his late teens or early twenties if Gabriel had to guess, hands held up in surrender with a nervous smile on his lips. His shoulders were hunched to make himself appear smaller, head lowered slightly in submission, though his eyes never left the gun.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, you’re not the pie girl,” the man muttered with a timid laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“Pie girl?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah! Brown hair, little braid, about that tall,” he motioned briefly to the top of the fence, “sweet as she could be, too. Brings me pies and candies sometimes.”</p><p> </p><p>He was talking about Fareeha, then. Gabriel glared and cocked his gun, which was more than enough to make the man’s eyes widen, body hunkering lower in fear. A strange man talking to Fareeha was enough to make Gabriel’s blood boil, but at the same time, this kid didn’t seem all that threatening. He didn’t exactly give off a perverse or sinister energy. Quite the opposite, actually.</p><p> </p><p>Years upon years of being a monster hunter had taught Gabriel a few useful tricks about reading auras (a necessity when dealing with things like tricksters and demons), and the man before him felt benign. Not harmless, but most certainly friendly.</p><p> </p><p>With a tired huff, Gabriel lowered his gun and holstered it, watching with amusement as the kid before him sighed loudly in relief.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks for not shooting me,” he said. Though he was still cautious, he straitened up and padded over towards Gabriel, leaning casually against the fence. “So, what brings you to this dreary forest on such a lovely day? Got places to go? People to see?”</p><p> </p><p>As Gabriel hopped the fence, he decidedly ignored the man, waving him off like you would a fly. “Not any of your business. Get out of here and have a good day.”</p><p> </p><p>Despite Gabriel’s obvious dismissal, it was hardly a second later that the kid silently trailed along beside him, smiling brightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Couldn’t you use some company?” he asked. He ignored Gabriel’s glare. “I mean, these are scary woods, you know? Lots of nasty creatures. Even a fella like yourself might need some help!”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel laughed, which probably sounded meaner than he meant it to. This scrawny mutt of a kid was honestly trying to say that a monster hunter, who had quite literally almost killed him not a minute ago, needed protection. And from what? Wolves and deer?</p><p> </p><p>“I can take care of myself,” Gabriel said, firmly enough that it finally seemed to stop the kid in his tracks. “I don’t need another person slowing me down.”</p><p> </p><p>“Really now? I mean, that’s fine and dandy, wanting to travel alone and all, but do you even know where you’re going?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel faltered. He hated to admit it, but Ana hadn’t really told him what direction to go, nor had she given him a map to follow. He turned to look at the kid, who was now propped up against a tree. His smug grin was almost enough to make Gabriel say ‘fuck it’ and tromp through these stupid woods on his own, but he didn’t want Ana or Fareeha to worry about him, so with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, he beckoned the kid to his side.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel regretted it almost instantly.</p><p> </p><p>From the very moment they started walking, the kid wouldn’t shut the hell up. It got to the point where, if Gabriel wasn’t used to dealing with hyperactive children like Fareeha, he probably would’ve strangled his companion, but at least it gave him a moment to observe just who he was traveling with.</p><p> </p><p>The kid was certainly... <em>odd</em>, to say the least. He walked barefoot, unbothered and unhindered by the forest floor, and his clothes were somewhat ratty and torn. His hair was long, unruly, and there were a few matted places that made Gabriel cringe. Did this boy not know how to brush his hair, or did he just not care? Likewise, his skin was covered in filth, mud, and blood, probably from cuts and scratches on his body. There were also a handful of articles that stood out to Gabriel, if only due to their juxtaposition.</p><p> </p><p>The most prominent object was the large pelt of a sheep. It hung from the kid’s shoulders like a shawl, covering most of his torso and clasped together by a sharp tooth (Gabriel assumed it belonged to a dog or wolf) and a little leather loop. Compared to its owner, it was relatively clean except for a bit of sticks and leaves caught in the wool.</p><p> </p><p>Another thing that caught Gabriel’s eye were the piercings the man had. There were only a few of them, most of them being small rings on the outermost part of the ear, but they almost looked like they were carved from bone. Each one had a tiny stone, and if it weren’t for the fact that the kid was so close to him, he wouldn’t have been able to see them. Even stranger, Gabriel couldn’t name what any of those stones might be. He could only come to the conclusion that they were from a place he had yet to visit.</p><p> </p><p>Was this kid not from here? If not, where was he from? Though it might’ve just been an odd fashion choice (which Gabriel highly doubted), the jewelry that the kid bore carried the very same energy as Ana’s tattoo; there was some sort of cultural significance to them, though Gabriel couldn’t tell from what culture it might’ve been. It certainly wasn’t anywhere near here.</p><p> </p><p>“But anyways, that’s enough about flowers! What’s your name?”</p><p> </p><p>It took Gabriel a moment to remember that he had literally just tuned the kid out to the point of forgetting he was even talking, so the question somewhat caught him off guard. Still, big brown eyes looked at him expectantly, waiting patiently for an answer.</p><p> </p><p>“Just call me Gabriel,” he grumbled, and though he feigned indifference, he was genuinely curious when he asked, “and what about you?”</p><p> </p><p>“The name’s Jesse. It’s nice to meet you!” If that kid got any more enthusiastic, Gabriel was sure he would pop. “So, Gabe-“</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Gabriel</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Whatever, killjoy.” Jesse was still smiling as he looked Gabriel up and down, eyes landing on the basket with blatant greed. “I’m gonna assume you’re following the same path as the pie girl, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“To the lake, yes,” Gabriel said. He pulled the basket closer to his side with a reprimanding glare. “But also to the other end of the forest and back.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, what?”</p><p> </p><p>The look Jesse gave him was somewhat blank, though it held a bit of an incredulous air.</p><p> </p><p>“To the lake, then to-“</p><p> </p><p>“No, no, I heard you the first time,” Jesse said, “I’m just wondering what I’m gonna get out of this. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”</p><p> </p><p>That much was true. As cheap as it was, Gabriel was honestly just hoping he could go on his journey without having to worry about payment, but that obviously wasn’t the case. He didn’t really bring money with him, nor did he have anything of great value on his person (except for his guns, but those would have to be pried from his cold, dead hands). That only left one other option.</p><p> </p><p>The basket of food had been made for Reinhardt, but Gabriel reasoned that as long as he got the important letters to the other side, then the food was only an added bonus.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell you what,” Gabriel said, stopping in front of Jesse and holding out his hand, “if you get me to where I want to go and bring me back, not only will I let you pick out some food from this basket, but you’ll get all the pie you want while I’m staying in Eichenwalde. Deal?”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse’s grip was surprisingly strong as they shook hands, but Gabriel was just happy to have the kid in his pocket. As Ana always used to say, the fastest way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, and that thankfully held true. It was better than wandering these woods alone.</p><p> </p><p>“Deal! Well, now that payment is out of the way, let’s get going!” Jesse bounded ahead of him, body disappearing into the mist even though his voice was still present. “Keep up if you want to make it to the lake by nightfall!”</p><p> </p><p>With a strange mixture of both panic and exasperation in his chest, Gabriel picked up the pace to follow after Jesse. It would probably be a very long journey.</p><p> </p><p>———</p><p> </p><p>The sun was just starting to set by the time the lake came into view, and Gabriel had never been so excited to stop and rest in his entire life. Maybe his old age was finally getting to him.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse seemed exhilarated. Like Gabriel, he was covered in sweat and breathing hard, but he somehow looked like he was still raring to go. It exhausted Gabriel to even look at. Though there was a bit of fog naturally over the lake, the surrounding area was cleared up much more than the rest of the forest had been, so Gabriel easily found a tiny clearing to settle into for the night.</p><p> </p><p>“So, how much food do I get?”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse plopped down in front of Gabriel, eying the basket hungrily, and if Gabriel hadn’t slapped his hands away, Jesse probably would’ve eaten the entire thing.</p><p> </p><p>“This is for someone else, so you’ll only get a small portion,” Gabriel chided. After a stern look of warning, he opened the basket in order to let Jesse pick what he wanted. It was almost unsurprising he went straight for something sweet.</p><p> </p><p>Perhaps Gabriel was being a bit presumptuous, but he fully expected the kid to cram the entire slice of pumpkin bread down his throat in one go. It even seemed like that had been Jesse’s original plan if the way he had swiftly brought it to his mouth said anything, yet for whatever reason he restrained himself.</p><p> </p><p>“Aren’t you gonna pick something out, too?” he asked, cocking his head to the side as he watched Gabriel tidy away the contents of the basket. “You’ve gotta be hungry after all that running.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel wanted to scoff, if only because that end comment sounded mildly like a jab, but he knew Jesse meant it kindly. Like the kid has said, Gabriel was hungry. He had a high metabolism anyways, so running that much only served to make him hungrier, but he wasn’t starving like Jesse appeared to be. He could wait.</p><p> </p><p>Still, it almost sent him into shock when the kid broke the bread in half, offering the largest piece to Gabriel with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Here, take some,” he said, carefully placing it in Gabriel’s hand after he didn’t reach out to take it.</p><p> </p><p>Only after another few seconds of blank staring did Gabriel finally snap out of it. Jesse seemed too preoccupied with shoving the rest of the bread into his mouth to really care about Gabriel’s reaction, and he didn’t seem to pay much mind to the way Gabriel looked at the bread in his hand with a painful mix of pity and tenderness.</p><p> </p><p>Outside of his once-a-year visit with Ana and Fareeha, Gabriel spent most of his time alone. That was just the sad truth of being a monster hunter. He wasn’t really one for having strangers in his cheap inn beds, nor was he one for wasting his well-earned money getting drunk in taverns, so he never really spent much time around people. In a profession of constant violence and death, he had nearly forgotten about compassion. It was a bizarre experience to feel so deeply about being given a simple piece of bread.</p><p> </p><p>“Take your time and enjoy the rest for me! I’m gonna go hunting for supper, I’ll be back soon.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel glanced up swiftly, grabbing Jesse by the wrist. He only let go when he felt the kid tense up. “What are you talking about? It’s practically nighttime already, you’ll get killed out there if you’re not careful.”</p><p> </p><p>“Aw, don’t worry so much.” Jesse gave him a playful wink as he stepped farther into the forest, away from the lake and wholly consumed by the darkness. “I’ll be alright, and hey, if it makes you feel any better, you can come searching for me if I’m not back in an hour.”</p><p> </p><p>Before he could respond, Jesse was gone.</p><p> </p><p>What was that kid thinking? Not only was it dangerous, but it was also getting extremely dark. If the sunlight couldn’t even breach the trees, then the moon surely didn’t stand a chance. Jesse would practically be walking around blind. Still, Gabriel took a deep, calming breath as he rose from the clearing, heading towards the lake to recover what he’d lost from the run. If Jesse had confidence that he could hunt, then Gabriel would give him the hour he asked for.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel knew that without something to do, he would spend most of his time worrying, so after drinking a good bit of water, he set out to collect wood to start a small fire. He then took to fortifying their little clearing for the night. It was already hidden in a thicket of laurels, but Gabriel carefully piled up fallen branches around the outside to deter any wildlife from rushing in. He was truly left with nothing to do but pull out the blanket Ana had given him and warm up by the fire.</p><p> </p><p>Had it been an hour yet? Gabriel huffed as he got more comfortable, his body now resting against a fallen log, fingers absentmindedly running along the rough bark as he stared at the little fire. After a second, however, he turned his full attention to where his hand was. Beneath it were smooth grooves, much wider than Gabriel’s fingers and painfully familiar. They were claw marks, and there was only one creature that he could think of that would leave such a gruesome marking behind.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Gabriel! Where’d you go?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Jesse stomping through the forest, and from the bloody scent that followed, it seemed he’d had quite the successful hunt. As he emerged from their hiding spot, Gabriel was shocked to see that the kid was dragging a small deer carcass behind him, visibly exhausted but nonetheless thrilled.</p><p> </p><p>“How on earth did you manage to catch that?” Gabriel asked. He was quick to run over and help Jesse drag his catch towards the lake, and waited patiently as the kid took a little breather.</p><p> </p><p>Compared to Gabriel, Jesse drank from the lake with very little elegance. It was also a bit disgusting, because the very moment his skin touched the water, it turned a dark shade of brown and red from both the dirt and blood Jesse had been carrying.</p><p> </p><p>“It was injured already,” Jesse finally supplied. He motioned to the crooked back leg of the deer. “It wouldn’t have lived very long, anyways, and better us to have it than the wolves.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel nodded. He remembered the savage howling and fighting of the wolves at the edge of the forest the day before, and he firmly believed that Jesse finding the injured deer was a mercy for it. Still, however the kid had managed to take down the deer had left him completely tuckered out. It was only fair that Gabriel took care of the rest.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse stayed patiently at his side as the deer was skinned and cut into pieces, each chunk of meat washed in the lake in order to cleanse it of any hair or excess blood. The poor thing must’ve also been starving. There wasn’t a lot of meat to be had, and all of it seemed to be made of tendons instead of anything fatty and pleasant. By the time Gabriel was done, however, there was enough for the both of them to eat over the next few days, and he was immensely thankful for that.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse elected to take what they couldn’t eat far from the camp, so Gabriel took what meat they had into their hiding place and began to cook it over the fire. A few strips were nearly done by the time Jesse came trudging back in. He looked dead on his feet, not even bothering to really get comfortable and instead laying straight down onto the ground, curling up on his side and tucking himself as far as he could into his pelt. His tired eyes met Gabriel’s, and though it visibly took some energy, he shot him a weary smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Eat all you want, okay?” he said, yawning as his eyes fluttered close. “Just don’t catch our camp on fire.”</p><p> </p><p>Before Gabriel could make any remarks, Jesse was out like a light.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel understood being exhausted, but wasn’t Jesse hungry? Sure, there was the small possibility that he’d eaten wild berries or something else while hunting, but that seemed unlikely since he had to have spent his time hunting and taking down a small deer, even if it was injured.</p><p> </p><p>In the end, Gabriel cooked all of the meat, ate his fill, and then tucked the rest in the basket for Jesse to eat in the morning.</p><p> </p><p>———</p><p> </p><p>The world had barely begun to turn a hazy grey when Gabriel woke from his sleep. Frost covered the leaves of the laurels around him, his breath coming out like a cloud of smoke in the frigid air, and though he wanted to rekindle the fire that had gone out during the night, it would be useless. They would be leaving soon enough.</p><p> </p><p>On the other side of the tiny camp, Jesse slept on, oblivious to the morning frost around him. Gabriel couldn’t comprehend how the poor kid wasn’t shivering. He himself felt a small shudder go through his body as he rose from where he was, exposing himself to the elements a bit more than he would’ve liked to. Today, he wouldn’t be putting away the blanket. He instead wrapped it around his shoulders until it somewhat resembled a cloak. It already felt good to have an added layer.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, kid.” Gabriel gently nudged Jesse with the toe of his boot, careful not to hurt him. “It’s time to go. We’ve got a long journey ahead of us.”</p><p> </p><p>The groan that came from Jesse was low and rough, and if Gabriel didn’t know better, he would’ve said it was almost a snarl, though it was much too human to be that. Not long after, Jesse cracked his eyes open. He was visibly bleary and tired. He mumbled something that sounded like ‘sleep’ before closing his eyes again.</p><p> </p><p>So began the long, agonizing process of waking Jesse up.</p><p> </p><p>The sun was almost rising by the time Gabriel finally convinced him to get moving, and it became exceedingly obvious that Jesse was <em>not</em> a morning person. Unlike before, he was sluggish, silent, and grouchy. He even tripped a few times as they slowly made their way back into the misty forest.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel decided that it was probably best he leave Jesse alone until he was properly awake and back in order, and it seemed to pay off, at least a little bit.</p><p> </p><p>“Do we have any meat left?” Jesse murmured, and he gladly took what Gabriel gave him out of the basket. He said a quiet ‘thank you’ between bites.</p><p> </p><p>Once he felt it was safe, Gabriel asked, “So, how long does it take to get to the other end of the forest?”</p><p> </p><p>“The lake is about halfway between both ends, so we’ll probably get there around noon. Where we’ll sleep depends on what time you get back.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, aren’t you coming with me into town?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel turned to look at Jesse, who fiddled with the end of his sheepskin and focused on the path beneath his feet. He looked almost sad.</p><p> </p><p>“Probably not. Even if I wanted to, people usually aren’t that nice to folks like me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Folks... like you?”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse’s body tensed, as if having realized he’d done something he shouldn’t have, and before Gabriel could press, the kid smiled for the first time that morning, motioning to the rest of his body.</p><p> </p><p>“Wanderers, vagabonds, whatever you’d like to call it,” he said quickly. “A lot of people think I’m a thief or something. I look awful anyways, and-“</p><p> </p><p>Before he finished his sentence, Jesse went completely rigid, and Gabriel could see the fine hairs on the back of his neck rise. Gabriel didn’t even have time to question anything. Instead, Jesse grabbed him by the wrist and started pulling him in another direction, casting only a brief glance back to tell him to stay quiet.</p><p> </p><p>It was hard to keep up with Jesse. Though Gabriel was an experienced hunter, Jesse was much faster and more graceful, bounding over fallen trees and streams like they were nothing, and the entire time he didn’t let go of Gabriel. It wasn’t until they were both out of breath that Jesse finally stopped. He whipped his head around, skittish as a fawn without its mother.</p><p> </p><p>“Stay low, and be quiet,” he whispered, nudging Gabriel to hide behind a rotten log. He soon followed suit, nestling beside Gabriel and pressing himself as low to the ground as he could.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel was desperate to ask what was happening, but like Jesse asked, he stayed deathly still and silent as the grave, eyes wide open to look for threats. It wasn’t long until he found what he was looking for.</p><p> </p><p>It was a dragon. A legitimate dragon, or at least some sort of hybrid between that and a human. The fog did very little to cover up her fiery skin. Though she thankfully didn’t come any closer, she was obviously looking for something, and she took her sweet time in doing so. Gabriel’s entire body had started to either cramp up or go numb before the dragon wandered back in the direction that she’d come from. Even still, Jesse motioned for them to stay down.</p><p> </p><p>After over half an hour passed, Jesse tentatively scanned the area, and once he seemed satisfied, he rose and stretch with a quiet groan, allowing Gabriel to do the same.</p><p> </p><p>“What the <em>hell</em> was that?” Gabriel said, feeling somewhat sorry as Jesse flinched from the tone of his voice. He made sure to soften it a bit as he added, “in all my years I’ve never seen a dragon, but I know for damn sure that they aren’t native to Eichenwalde.”</p><p> </p><p>“We can talk about this as we walk. I’m not too keen on sticking around and waiting for her to come back.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel nodded in agreement. He adjusted his cloak and basket before following behind Jesse, who periodically looked around in the heavy mist then back to Gabriel, as if to check and make sure he was still there. It would’ve been endearing if not for the fact that there was a fucking dragon lurking in the forest somewhere.</p><p> </p><p>“So,” Gabriel began, cautious but curious, “how did you know that she was there? The dragon, I mean. As a monster hunter, I’m not sure how I didn’t notice her first.”</p><p> </p><p>If Gabriel didn’t have fast reflexes, Jesse would’ve fallen straight to the ground when he suddenly stumbled. The anxious aura he gave off was almost overwhelming. It was enough to make Gabriel squint at the nervous smile the kid gave him.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, monster hunter?” Jesse asked timidly. He took a breath and looked up at Gabriel, soft brown eyes darting between him, the fog, and the path before them. Then, as if struck by some sort of divine revelation, he smiled and clasped his hands together in excitement. “Wait, that means you can keep us safe, right? From both the dragon and the witch?”</p><p> </p><p>It was Gabriel’s turn to stumble. “Hold on a second. Are you talking about the Witch of the Wilds?”</p><p> </p><p>“The very one!” Jesse nodded his head as he grabbed Gabriel’s wrist and marched forwards, a new and happy little spring in his step as he went. He whistled a joyful tune, oblivious to Gabriel’s internal struggle.</p><p> </p><p>The Witch had finally come back.</p><p> </p><p>———</p><p> </p><p>Like when they had first started their journey, Jesse didn’t shut up. He talked about everything under the sun as they paraded through the forest, the dragon a mere wisp in their memories now that the threat had passed. Still, Gabriel had many questions left unanswered. How did Jesse know the dragon was there when he himself didn’t? How did the kid know the Witch? Most importantly, what was the Witch doing back in Eichenwalde after all these years?</p><p> </p><p>All of these thoughts raced so viciously in Gabriel head that he nearly plowed over Jesse as the kid came to a stop. Gabriel was about to draw his gun, fearing that an enemy might be near, but instead Jesse happily dropped to his knees at the base of an ancient tree. Gabriel was even more confused when Jesse started to paw and dig at the base of one of the larger roots. It was only when he popped back up and held out his hand that Gabriel saw what they’d stopped for.</p><p> </p><p>It was a flower identical to what Fareeha had shown him. If the black stalk and vibrant red petals weren’t enough to give it away, the sweet scent that emanated from it most certainly would.</p><p> </p><p>“Ta-da!” Jesse chirped, allowing Gabriel to take the flower from his hand. “Pretty, right? I’ve only managed to find a few of them, so you’re in luck!”</p><p> </p><p>“What are they?” Gabriel asked, to which Jesse shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>“They don’t grow where I’m from, so I’m not real sure. The pie girl didn’t know, either,” he said. “They’re really good for healing wounds and poisonings, though!</p><p>Keep that in mind if you’re walking in the woods again without me.”</p><p> </p><p>It was now unsurprising that it was Jesse who’d given Fareeha the flower, but since the opportunity had presented itself, Gabriel now had something else to focus on.</p><p> </p><p>“Where are you from, Jesse?”</p><p> </p><p>Though they continued walking, the kid was suddenly silent. His head was lowered, and a twinge of sadness, anger, and regret twisted his features into something pitiful.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m obviously not from here,” he began, “in fact, my home is across the sea, far away from this place.”</p><p> </p><p>Across the sea? Jesse really <em>was</em> far from home if that were the case, and from the bit of longing that bled into his voice, he seemed to miss it a lot.</p><p> </p><p>“I come from a desert where the sun is always shining and the weather is always warm. It might not be everyone’s idea of paradise, but I would give anything to go back,” Jesse continued. His lips curled into a snarl, teeth flashing in the low light. “I would still be home right now if not for Ashe and that stupid Witch.”</p><p> </p><p>“Can you explain a little bit more?” Gabriel asked, trying his best to urge Jesse to talk without him shutting down or switching topics.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse didn’t seem to need much encouragement when angry. It was untelling how long he’d kept his frustrations bottled up inside, and the way his cheeks turned a violent shade of red was a good sign that it had been a long while.</p><p> </p><p>“Ashe was my partner and friend, or at least I thought she was. One day, that Witch came walking into town, spewing a whole lot of bullshit about power and glory, and Ashe took her words to heart.”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse huffed angrily, but took a deep breath in order to reel himself back in. Gabriel waited patiently for him to keep going.</p><p> </p><p>“Apparently I was the only thing keeping Ashe from getting what she wanted. I don’t know what happened exactly, but the Witch banished me here after she and Ashe made their deal.”</p><p> </p><p>Without much of a warning, Jesse went quiet. He slowly came to a stop, his fingers fiddling with the pelt on his shoulders as if to either distract or comfort him, maybe even both. Gabriel watched uselessly when, after a moment, a few silent tears trickled down Jesse’s cheeks, leaving a clean path on his filthy skin. Whether it was from hatred, frustration, or sadness, Gabriel couldn’t tell.</p><p> </p><p>“I hate it here,” he whimpered, pulling his sheepskin tighter around his body. “It’s always so cold and dark, and the sun never shines. I can’t even leave thanks to that fucking Witch! She trapped me here!”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel was helpless as Jesse switched between rage and despair, both of which were like agony. This really would be Jesse’s personal Hell. Like he said, he’d come from a warm and sunny place, only to be suddenly thrown into a frigid forest where the light would never reach him and with no friends to call his own.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel felt his own anger kindle against Ashe and the Witch. He could do nothing about the first one, but the Witch? He could handle her, or at least he had to try, if only for Jesse’s sake.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel couldn’t help but to indulge in a moment of weakness; he gently pulled Jesse in for a hug, listening wholly to the keen aching in his heart to comfort his companion. He only remembered that Jesse might not share the sentiment after feeling him go deathly still. He seemed almost unsure of himself. Before Gabriel could pull away and apologize, Jesse replicated Gabriel’s movements and snuggled as close as he could possibly get, still sniffling but calm.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” Jesse murmured. After a moment, he pulled away and rubbed at his eyes, and though his smile was weak, it was genuine and content. He motioned for them to continue on their journey. “So, since I’ve spilled most of my guts, why don’t you tell me about yourself?”</p><p> </p><p>And Gabriel did. As he followed Jesse through the forest, he spoke of his life on the road, moving from place to place and seeing all sorts of people and creatures. He told him of his friends back in Eichenwalde, along with Reinhardt, the sole reason for the trip, and despite how the name left an acrid taste in his mouth, he also talked about Jack. Like Jesse’s Ashe, Gabriel and Jack were once friends and partners, never to be separated until, one day, their differences caused an irreparable rift. At least Jack hadn’t banished him to a forest, though.</p><p> </p><p>Honestly, Gabriel was having such a good time shooting the breeze that he hadn’t realized they’d made it to the other side of the woods until bright sunlight finally shined brightly and freely against his skin, thawing his bones from the frigid darkness behind him.</p><p> </p><p>In the distance was a tiny village. Rolling fields of wheat were accompanied by fluffy sheep and lazy cows, and it hit Gabriel like a breath of fresh air. He had just started his descent down the hill when he felt Jesse’s absence, and it wasn’t until he saw the kid standing at the edge of the forest that he remembered the curse of the Witch.</p><p> </p><p>“Aw, don’t look so sad!” Jesse said when Gabriel returned, laughing as he squished Gabriel’s cheeks between his hands like one might a baby. “Go deliver the basket and have a good time with that Reinhardt fella, okay? I’ll be fine, I promise.”</p><p> </p><p>Giving one last wave and smile, Jesse trotted back into the forest. He was no doubt trying to make it easier for Gabriel to leave, but it only served to make him feel more guilty. Jesse didn’t deserve to spend his life in the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>That Witch would pay. Gabriel would make sure of it.</p><p> </p><p>With a renewed sense of purpose, Gabriel walked down the hill and towards the village, and it wasn’t long before he heard the familiar voice of his old friend. Reinhardt stood in all of his colossal glory at the very center of the village. Children were bouncing all around him as he told a story that Gabriel had heard so many times he could repeat it in his sleep, and when Reinhardt noticed him, he finished his tale and charged right over.</p><p> </p><p>“Gabriel, my friend! How long has it been?” Gabriel was certain he could feel his bones creaking from the strength of Reinhardt’s bear hug. “You’re looking very well!”</p><p> </p><p>It was a shock that the basket wasn’t dropped or crushed, and before anything could happen to it, he handed it swiftly over to Reinhardt, who smiled like he’d just been crowned king.</p><p> </p><p>“I see you’re Ana’s new delivery service! I’m glad, it’s so wonderful to see you!”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s good to see you, too,” Gabriel said. He followed Reinhardt as they made their way to a tiny tavern, and he joined his friend at the table he’d chosen.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel waited patiently as Reinhardt opened the basket. Though his eyes obviously went to the food first, he soon focused on the letters that Ana had sent him, and he took his time reading over them.</p><p> </p><p>From what Gabriel could tell, while some were actual personal letters, most of them seemed to be information on various monsters causing trouble in nearby regions, along with several wanted posters for creatures particularly notorious for killing.</p><p> </p><p>“Was your journey a safe one, my friend?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel startled at having been shaken from his thoughts, and though he huffed at Reinhardt’s laughter, he nodded his head.</p><p> </p><p>“It was about as pleasant in those woods as you’d expect,” Gabriel began, and his heart ached when he thought of Jesse, “I had a guide take me through, so thankfully I didn’t run into too much trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>Reinhardt raised an eyebrow in question. “A guide? I’ve lived most of my life here and even I don’t think I could travel those woods safely. Who was this person, Gabriel?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel wasn’t quite sure how to explain who Jesse was, considering he only knew the bare minimum, but he tried his best. By the end of his somewhat vague description, along with confirmation that the Witch of the Wilds had returned, Reinhardt appeared satisfied but still somewhat wary.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you certain this man isn’t one of her servants?” he asked. Gabriel knew he didn’t mean it in a cruel way, but he felt somewhat defensive over Jesse.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m certain. He’s got it out for the Witch just as much as we do.”</p><p> </p><p>Reinhardt seemed to get the message and dropped the topic of both the Witch and Jesse, and instead dove into the basket with the hunger of a lion. It was no surprise that he went straight for the various alcoholic drinks. Knowing that Gabriel probably wouldn’t drink alongside him, he called over one of the barmaids to bring him water. Gabriel also laid his guns on the table like she asked (for safety reasons, she explained, and he was loathe not to listen).</p><p> </p><p>“Did you perhaps meet Jack along the way?” Reinhardt asked. That name alone was enough to make Gabriel choke and cough up the sip of water he’d been drinking.</p><p> </p><p>“Jack’s on his way here, too?” he asked once he’d caught his breath. The sheepish smile his friend gave him was enough to confirm his question, and though Gabriel vowed long ago that a monster hunter should always be sober, the ale was looking rather tempting at the moment.</p><p> </p><p>“He was going to help me hunt for the Witch while you and the others enjoyed the festival,” Reinhardt said. He looked out the window, adding, “but he’s quite late. It’s already well past noon.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel followed, observing the golden sun that was more than halfway done with its daily ritual. The dragon detour had taken longer than he’d thought. Regardless of whether Jack would be on time or not, Gabriel reasoned that he would be gone by nightfall, and that he and Jesse could sleep closer to the outskirts before heading out in the morning. For now, though, he would spend his time with Reinhardt.</p><p> </p><p>The two friends spent much of their time catching up; Gabriel spoke of his previous journey in which he dealt with a possessed rag doll and then banished an oni lurking around in a temple, while Reinhardt told wild tales of running into swamp monsters and skinning werewolves who ate too many sheep. On and on they talked, but as the sun dipped farther down into the sky, slowly disappearing beyond the horizon, a nauseous feeling twisted within Gabriel’s gut.</p><p> </p><p>He couldn’t place why the feeling was there, nor what caused it, and that only made it worse. Reinhardt didn’t seem to notice, though. Gabriel allowed him to continue talking until he could finally find a good spot to interrupt.</p><p> </p><p>“Why don’t I go check and make sure Jack isn’t wandering around the village?” he asked, already rising from his spot. “If I find him, I’ll send him this way, but if not, I’ll come back and tell you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Very well! Stay safe, my friend!” Reinhardt said. He gave Gabriel a friendly (but extremely painful) pat on the shoulder before sending Gabriel on his way.</p><p> </p><p>The world was dark when Gabriel stepped out of the tavern; only the bright full moon and a million twinkling stars acted as his light as he made his way back to the edge of the forest. The ever-present fog clawed at his skin like icy tendrils as he stepped out of the light and into pitch black oblivion. He couldn’t hardly see a foot in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, kid,” Gabriel called, though his voice was swallowed by the trees around him, “where are you?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel waited for a few minutes, listening intently before calling out again, and he pressed closer into the forest each time. The horrible feeling in his stomach was only starting to grow. Where was Jesse? There was no way that he’d gone on without Gabriel, right? He didn’t seem the type to just up and run away. Maybe he’d seen the sun go down and assumed that Gabriel was spending the night in town, and was now camped out for the night. Jesse did seem to be a pretty heavy sleeper.</p><p> </p><p>It felt like an eternity before Gabriel heard any sort of noise except for himself. This one, however, he could’ve gone his entire life without hearing.</p><p> </p><p>It was chaos from the very moment it hit Gabriel’s ears. The shrill telltale whistling of a crossbow bolt and the subsequent impact was nothing in comparison to the agonized wail that followed. Not even a second after, the same thing happened, then again, except the third bolt didn’t seem to hit its target. Whatever was hit was running in Gabriel’s direction.</p><p> </p><p>“Gabriel! Help m-“</p><p> </p><p>Every hair on his body rose on end as a fourth bolt cut through the air, landing with a sickening thud and no doubt burying into skin of the one that he had grown so close to. If he weren’t in such a panic, Gabriel was certain he would’ve vomited then and there.</p><p> </p><p>He ran as fast as his legs could carry him in the darkness of the forest. It was practically impossible to see, but the heavy panting of someone else Gabriel knew was enough to guide him in the right direction. Sure enough, as soon as his boots touched a small puddle of water in an equally small clearing, he could see the one person that he always regretted knowing.</p><p> </p><p>With his crossbow in one hand and a sheep pelt in the other, Jack stood proudly against the darkness. Not far from him was Jesse. The sickening scent of blood saturated the air thicker than the fog around them, and it took all of three seconds for Gabriel to realize that the puddle he stepped in wasn’t composed of water. Indeed, his boots were now stained a horrendous red.</p><p> </p><p>Jack aimed his crossbow down at Jesse, and faster than even he himself could comprehend, Gabriel bounded across the clearing and knocked the weapon from Jack’s hand, sending the bolt flying off into the carcass of a freshly killed and half-consumed buck nearby. He would’ve punched his old friend straight jaw, too, if Jack hadn’t dodged his fist.</p><p> </p><p>“Gabe? What the hell are you doing?” Jack hissed, looking at Gabriel as if he’d grown a second head.</p><p> </p><p>“No, what the hell are <em>you</em> doing?” Gabriel shoved Jack farther away from Jesse, to the very edge of the clearing. “You’re trying to kill a man!”</p><p> </p><p>“A man? Are you fucking blind? It’s a monster, Gabe!”</p><p> </p><p>For the first time that night, Gabriel looked down at Jesse. It was a sickening image to have to see. His skin was slick with sweat, chest heaving as if he’d run a marathon, and three thick silver-tipped crossbow bolts pierced his skin like paper; one in his thigh, another in shoulder, and the final one buried deep within his stomach. It was only now, however, that Gabriel finally saw what he couldn’t before.</p><p> </p><p>The teeth Jesse bore in agony were sharper than any human’s ever could be, his ears subtly pointed at the ends, and his eyes, once a soft, earthy brown, were a startling gold that stood out in the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>A wolf.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel couldn’t tell what kind, whether he was a Lycan or a werewolf, but all the signs that were once hidden were now exposed like a festering wound. Jesse really was a monster.</p><p> </p><p>Jack sighed as he gave Gabriel’s back a sympathetic pat, throwing the sheep pelt at Jesse’s feet like it was diseased.</p><p> </p><p>“It used magic to hide from you. The sheepskin was enchanted with a glamour spell, so as long as the beast wore the skin, it would look human,” Jack said. Whatever face Gabriel was making must’ve kindled some sort of pity in Jack, because as he stepped away, he added, “I’ll let you decide what you want to do with it. I’m going to check in with Reinhardt.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel wasn’t quite sure what to do once he was left alone. Beneath him, Jesse was curled up as tight as he could be, his hands clutching the bolt in his gut as he sniffled. He hardly had the energy to flinch when Gabriel knelt down beside him.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Jesse murmured between breaths, though it was spoken so quietly that even the gentlest breeze could’ve blown it away. “I was scared that you’d be doing this to me, if you knew.”</p><p> </p><p>Whether it was from delirium or something else, Gabriel couldn’t tell. All that he knew was that Jesse, after a brief moment of silence, moved his hands from his wounds and started to push Gabriel away, leaving thick, bloody handprints in his wake.</p><p> </p><p>“You have to go.” Jesse spoke swiftly now, pained and desperately, as he tried to continue to shove Gabriel. “Go back to town and stay there. Don’t-“</p><p> </p><p>Time seemed to go slowly after that. One second Gabriel was standing above Jesse, listening to his pleas, and the next he was on the ground, far away from where he had been and in a lot more pain than he remembered. When his head crashed into a tree, he was certain he would pass out.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello again, hündchen. I see you’re still getting into trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>Incapacitated or not, Gabriel knew that voice, and when he somehow managed to open his eyes, his fears were confirmed.</p><p> </p><p>The Witch of the Wilds stood proudly, just like she always did. She wore a look of sympathy as she knelt down beside Jesse, brushing his filthy bangs from his face and placing a gloved hand on his cheek.</p><p> </p><p>“My poor little wolf. Look at what they’ve done to you,” she cooed, soothing Jesse like a pup robbed of its mother. “Ich kümmere mich um dich, it’ll all be over soon.”</p><p> </p><p>There was a sharp sound in the air, and suddenly a tiny light appeared on the ground (a portal, Gabriel’s mind supplied), with the dragon from before stepping out of it and standing patiently behind the Witch. With a grim look, the Witch pressed a gentle kiss on Jesse’s tear-stained cheek and rose from her spot.</p><p> </p><p>“The creatures you kill aren’t the real monsters, hunter,” she said, turning to Gabriel. “It’s mankind and all of its hubris. The wolf in sheep’s clothing never harmed a soul. Why is it, then, that those of you who kill so mercilessly are the saints?”</p><p> </p><p>What could Gabriel possibly say to that? He didn’t want to admit that the Witch was right, but in this instance, she couldn’t be anything but. Jesse had never harmed him, nor had he harmed Fareeha. He could’ve easily lured her into the forest and killed her if he wanted, and he could’ve done the same to Gabriel at any point during their journey, but instead, he gave everything he could - his food, his skill, his life - and then tried to keep giving. It was the presumption and prejudice of a hunter that had done the most harm.</p><p> </p><p>“My dear hündchen will probably pass long before my other servants arrive in his current form, so he’ll be spared the worst,” she said. She allowed the dragon to gently take her hand and lead her to the portal, grabbing the sheep pelt as she went. “You and the rest of that filthy village, however, will not be so lucky. I hope you like Höllenhunde.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel knew enough German to know that he didn’t like what was about to happen. Still, before he could even move to fight the Witch, she and the dragon disappeared into the portal, and he knew that no matter how much he hunted her down, it would be a very long time before he would encounter her again.</p><p> </p><p>Right now, the Witch was no longer his problem. Though his head ached and his body was sore, Gabriel dragged himself up and over to Jesse, and while he desperately wanted to believe otherwise, the Witch had told the truth once again. Jesse was too weak to do anything but breathe at this point. Still, he stirred a bit as Gabriel kneeled beside him, fingers running over where the Witch had kissed.</p><p> </p><p>“Your friends... they’ll need you. Please, just go,” he begged, hand too weak to push Gabriel like he had before. “I’ll be okay, I promise.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel knew that wasn’t true, but he didn’t have the heart to say or even believe otherwise. Instead, he placed his lips where the Witch’s had been and followed Jesse’s last directions. His friends really would need him if the creatures she promised to send were on their way.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel felt much too slow and equally unstable as he walked in the darkness of the forest, especially now that he was alone. He knew that the blow to his head was disorienting him as well. He had to push forward, however, no matter what. He had to warn the others of the dangers to come, of the battle and bloodshed that would probably ensue. Jack would also be getting more than just a black eye by the time Gabriel returned, too.</p><p> </p><p>It was hard to tell how close he was to the forest entrance (was he even going in the right direction?), but it didn’t seem to matter anymore. The air around Gabriel seemed to crackle and come alive with energy, strong enough to cause the hairs on his body to rise, and his entire being was consumed by panic at the scent of sulfur and decay. He was too late.</p><p> </p><p>There was a broken choir of howls in the distance that seemed to be getting closer with every second that passed. The pack - and it was most certainly an entire pack - of hellhounds were making good time on getting to the village, even as they snapped and bit and fought with one another. They only stopped when they finally caught wind of Gabriel.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel felt his heart stop beating as what seemed like a million fiery eyes tracked him in the darkness. They were tormenting him, staying just out of view, and the barks and whines that came from them sounded almost like laughter.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually they started to become restless. Some began to nip at his heels, others taking false swipes at him, breathing in his fear like a sweet perfume, but finally their fun seemed to come to a close. A particularly large hound grabbed him by the leg and dragged him to the ground, pouncing onto his body and digging its hellish claws into his shoulders. Gabriel was certain that it was the end. With no weapons to defend himself, he was rendered useless, and he felt he had no choice but to except death as putrid drool dropped onto his face, the teeth that they’d fallen from no doubt following soon after.</p><p> </p><p>The death, however, never came. With more force than humanly possible, the hellhound was completely thrown from his body with a strangled cry, and the sound its bones made upon impact were enough to make even Gabriel feel sick.</p><p> </p><p>All hell broke loose after that. It took Gabriel a moment to understand that no, he probably wasn’t going to die, but once he did that, he got a good look at what was happening around him. A creature, another canine perhaps, was currently very busy turning any that approached it into corpses. From what Gabriel could tell, it seemed much too preoccupied with the other hounds to even care about Gabriel himself.</p><p> </p><p>It was a gruesome fight to witness; the new creature was vastly outnumbered, but its size and strength gave it a massive advantage over its many opponents. It had to be at least the size of a small horse, and its teeth were so large that Gabriel’s entire hand could wrap around one and still not cover it completely. Its bloodied claws were the same.</p><p> </p><p>Though the hellhounds managed to rip a little bit out, the beast’s fur was thick and unruly, and the way it raised its hackles and pinned its ears could intimidate even the mightiest of hunters. In his admiration and fear, Gabriel almost looked past a detail that made his heart thunder in his chest. The ears of the beast had tiny bone rings in them, little stones from a certain desert over the sea barely peaking through.</p><p> </p><p>It was Jesse.</p><p> </p><p>Yes, this creature, in all its raw and wonderful glory, was Jesse. Gabriel further confirmed as much when he looked and saw still-bleeding puncture wounds on the stomach, leg, and shoulder, the exact spots where Jack had shot him.</p><p> </p><p>How could that be? Didn’t the Witch say that Jesse would die? He’d looked pretty close to it when Gabriel had left him, but something tugged at his memories, telling him to look closer. Upon further thought, Gabriel remembered that the Witch had said Jesse would die ‘in his current form’, most likely referring to his human body. Maybe that’s why Jesse had begged him to go; even on death’s door, he probably didn’t want Gabriel to fear or despise him.</p><p> </p><p>There was no way that Gabriel could possibly hate Jesse, especially not now, not when a cold, wet nose pressed gently against Gabriel’s cheek. It spooked him, causing Jesse to take a step back, but it was enough to shake Gabriel out of his muddled thoughts and take another look around. The battle was over.</p><p> </p><p>There seemed to be an endless pile of corpses, and Gabriel was thankfully that they slowly turned to ash, blowing away in the breeze now that their lives had been extinguished. Such was the nature of a hellhound. Jesse, however, was very much alive.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel wanted to laugh at the sight before him. Here was a huge beast that had just slaughtered an entire pack of demonic creatures, now sitting back on his haunches with his ears tucked low and his head held down in submission. It was almost like a dog waiting to be scolded by its master for bringing a dead rabbit into the house.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay, Jesse,” Gabriel said, and he really did laugh when the kid’s ears perked up, golden eyes shining with unguarded happiness.</p><p> </p><p>Though it was awkward and obviously somewhat unnatural, Jesse tried his very best to smile in his current form, and Gabriel was automatically endeared. He allowed Jesse to check over his wounds (Gabriel felt it was unnecessary considering he only had a few minor ones and Jesse himself was rather torn up) before carefully rising from his spot on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ve got to get you healed,” Gabriel said, taking his turn to look over Jesse. “You were already in bad shape before this, and-“</p><p> </p><p>Before he could continue, Jesse crooned happily and licked at his face, his dorky smile ever present as his tail thumped against the ground. Once he saw that he had Gabriel’s full attention, he hobbled over to an older looking tree. Nestled safely against the bark was a familiar flower.</p><p> </p><p>Right. Jesse had told him on their journey that these were good for both wounds and poisoning. He plucked it from the ground and held it out to Jesse, who looked at the flower and then back to Gabriel, head cocked to the side.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know what to do with it now,” he clarified. “Does it need to be crushed up and made into something? What do I need to do?”</p><p> </p><p>It took a long, frustrating game of guessing and charades, but eventually they managed to reach the understanding that Gabriel needed to boil the flower and essentially make tea. He was very thankful that Ana had taught him how. It would just be a matter of finding water and something to boil it in, and though wasn’t keen on it, he felt that he might have to go to the village. Jesse, however, seemed to have different plans.</p><p> </p><p>In one fell swoop, Jesse carefully grabbed Gabriel by the back of his coat and slung him onto his back like a rag doll, and the rumble that formed in his chest when Gabriel almost fell off sounded way too much like a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“Shut up,” Gabriel scolded, fingers digging into Jesse’s fur to hold on. “But in all seriousness, please be careful, okay? Tell me if you need me to hop off or if you want a break.”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse peered back at him and nodded in understanding, but it didn’t seem he took Gabriel’s advice to heart. After giving one light stretch to loosen his muscles, Jesse took off like a racehorse, and it would’ve sent Gabriel flying off if he didn’t flatten himself against Jesse’s fur and hold on for dear life.</p><p> </p><p>They reached the lake in record time. By the time they arrived, Jesse was panting heavily, and though his wounds were no doubt bothering him, he made sure Gabriel was fine and safely off of his back before leaning down and drinking what was probably a gallon of water. It was no wonder why he ate and drank differently from Gabriel; he was probably used to this form instead of his human one.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think you can find something to boil the flower in?” Gabriel asked once Jesse was done drinking. “I can set up a spot and start the fire if you can do that.”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse gave a little nod before walking off in the opposite directions, and Gabriel himself set out to find the clearing that they’d camped at the night before. He found it once he got his bearings, and after getting a bit of kindling, he started up a little fire. It wasn’t long after that that Jesse came tumbling back. In his jaws was the skull of the injured deer that they’d eaten for supper. Though Jesse had obviously tried to get off all of the skin the he could, he sat it down for Gabriel to try to get the rest off.</p><p> </p><p>It took a while, but eventually they got everything cleaned and ready. The flowers, while subtle when plucked, smelled like sugar when boiled, and even when wounded, Jesse was overly excited about sweets. He licked his chops as his tail lightly thumped against the ground. He was even happier to drink it.</p><p> </p><p>After it cooled, he motioned for Gabriel to drink some first before slurping down the rest himself. Only the remnants of the flower remained. Jesse comically gagged when Gabriel touched it, and he could see why: it was now slick and liquidized. Well, they could deal with getting rid of it later. Now all that was left to do was wait.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Jesse.” The kid, now stretched out with his eyes closed, perked up his ears and grunted, letting Gabriel know he was listening. “I just wanted to say... I’m sorry. For everything. I understand why you hid and I’m not mad at you for it, but I truly am sorry for what happened.”</p><p> </p><p>For a moment, Jesse did nothing. His breathing was even, eyes still closed, and Gabriel began to feel foolish at possibly having spoken to him while he slept, but instead, Jesse opened his eyes with a yawn and looked at Gabriel with something akin to forgiveness.</p><p> </p><p>Then, unexpectedly, there was a soft sound like that of a gentle gust of wind, and Jesse was back to the form that Gabriel was used to seeing. Still bloodied and bruised, but nonetheless happy. His wounds had also stitched themselves back together thanks to the flower, but there was, however, a completely new problem to deal with.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse was stark naked.</p><p> </p><p>Though it didn’t seem to bother Jesse at all, Gabriel felt his face go red as he averted his eyes out of politeness, cheeks growing even redder as Jesse laughed at his behavior. After a moment of awkward talking (apparently clothes did <em>not</em> shift with the person unless specialized like the earrings), Gabriel threw Jesse the blanket he’d been wearing as an extra layer in order to cover up.</p><p> </p><p>“I never took you for a prude,” Jesse snickered, though he still made sure to cover himself completely as he came to sit beside Gabriel. As he curled up tighter in the blanket, he continued, saying, “but about what you said before, I don’t blame you. You didn’t really do anything wrong. I mean, you probably would’ve killed me at first, sure, but you haven’t now, and that’s what counts!”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel rolled his eyes at the toothy grin that Jesse gave him. He was right, though. Gabriel would’ve tried to kill Jesse on the spot just like Jack had if he’d known what Jesse was in the beginning, and he probably would’ve in the first half of their journey as well. Now, however, Gabriel couldn’t even think about Jesse dying, let alone killing him or letting him be killed by others.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess that’s true enough,” Gabriel murmured. He tried to move Jesse’s hair out of his eyes, but upon getting caught in the tangled and matted places, he carefully grabbed Jesse by the elbow and pulled him up.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse asked questions a million miles a minute until Gabriel dragged him over to the lake, pulling a small knife from his boot. He eventually just turned to look back for what seemed to be reassurance.</p><p> </p><p>“Your hair is matted down, so I’m going to cut it for you,” Gabriel supplied, happy that Jesse just shrugged it off with a smile and sat still. “And I know it’s cold, but after that, you <em>really</em> need a bath.”</p><p> </p><p>That caused Jesse to whine, but at least he sat still the entire way through Gabriel cutting his hair. He only started to get a bit antsy towards the end. Once Gabriel was done and gave him the all clear, Jesse stood up and tried to walk back to the fire, only to be grabbed by the waist and thrown into the lake (save the blanket, of course). He shot Gabriel a dirty glare.</p><p> </p><p>After a thorough scrub and a bit of playfully threatening to drag Gabriel into the water, Jesse was finally done. He was shivering and wet, but at least he was clean. Still, Gabriel felt pity and beckoned for Jesse to come closer to his side, throwing the blanket over the both of them to share the warmth provided by their bodies and the fire.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry to bitch, but can we build the fire a bit?” Jesse asked, body still shivering as he pressed closer. “I’m too tired to change back.”</p><p> </p><p>“Not unless you want the forest to go up in flames.”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like arson, but in the end, he simply settled for being at Gabriel’s side. For a while.</p><p> </p><p>Over a short period of time, Gabriel felt Jesse move as close as he possibly could before essentially throwing himself into Gabriel’s lap, and he smiled in satisfaction upon tucking his cold fingers underneath Gabriel’s shirt. He practically crooned at finally having a more adequate heat source. Gabriel, on the other hand, almost threw him off. The kid wasn’t lying about being cold.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t seem to have a problem with personal space,” Gabriel grumbled, though he didn’t hate the closeness.</p><p> </p><p>“Wolves are social and most of us are friendly. Nudity and personal space mean nothing on a good day.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel had never really thought about that before. Sure, he’d never really had a reason to, but normally the werewolves and Lycans he’d hunted in the past were loners. He’d never had to deal with a pack. It made sense, then, that most of them were content to stay amongst themselves and out of trouble, and if there was one thing Gabriel had learned in the past few days, it was that not everything he’d been taught was correct.</p><p> </p><p>“This may be an odd request, but can you tell me more?” Gabriel asked. “For starters, what are you?”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse leaned back by a minuscule amount, just enough to look at Gabriel but not lose too much heat. He seemed to be searching for something. For dishonesty, for sincerity, maybe for a number of things, but when he found what he was looking for, he smiled brighter than the sun he’d not seen in so long.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m actually a hybrid, a mix between a werewolf and a Lycan, so I can kinda hard to identify offhand,” he said, absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of Gabriel’s shirt. “Both tend to live different lifestyles. The pack that I had was a bunch of misfits from both sides, though. Pretty fitting, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel snorted, earning a playful slap from Jesse. Of course he was a hybrid with a mix-match pack.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, next question. What do werewolves and Lycan like?”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse hummed in thought as he sat back a little farther. “Well, I’m sure you guessed by now, but being around other people is something we need. Touch is honestly as important as food and water to us.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel let Jesse take his hand without resistance, though he did chuckle when Jesse placed it on his own head. It was too reminiscent of a dog.</p><p> </p><p>“Head rubs are good. It’s kinda like a ‘hello’ between friends,” he said. He smiled as Gabriel ruffled his freshly cut hair, but then took his hand again and placed it on his cheek. “The face is important, too, just like with humans. It shows you what you need to see.”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse happily nuzzled against Gabriel’s palm, and it felt almost instinctual to run his thumb gently along Jesse’s cheek. It seemed to be the right thing to do; the kid gave a content sigh, eyes fluttering closed with a faint smile. It was too endearing for Gabriel. He felt like his heart would burst when he brought his other hand up to Jesse’s other cheek, doing the same thing, and Jesse seemed positively delighted.</p><p> </p><p>It was almost heartbreaking to remember that the kid had been alone in the woods for almost a year with nobody around to see him. Perhaps that’s what pushed Gabriel to do more. Jesse was obviously more than happy to curl up against Gabriel’s chest, taking in every touch as Gabriel ran his hands along his body, from his arms to his back and back to his face. It wasn’t until his fingers skimmed Jesse’s neck that the kid jolted in his lap.</p><p> </p><p>“Also important,” Jesse murmured, but it quickly turned into a whimper. “Just- be easy.”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse didn’t protest when Gabriel lightly scraped his nail across his skin, and he especially didn’t fight when, in a moment of boldness, Gabriel pulled Jesse back just enough to nose along the crook of his neck. The subsequent whine was enough to push Gabriel over the edge of self-control.</p><p> </p><p>Perhaps they’d both been separate from company for too long, but Jesse went easily when Gabriel pushed him onto the ground, the blanket keeping his body from touching the cold, filthy earth beneath him. He gladly bore his throat for Gabriel. The loud keening trailed off into a pathetic mewl when teeth broke skin, Jesse’s hips bucking up against Gabriel’s with blatant want.</p><p> </p><p>It was almost surprising to see a creature that could easily slaughter an entire village look so weak and vulnerable splayed out beneath him, and his cock took automatic interest in the thought. Jesse seemed to share the same sentiment. To the best of his ability, he dug his claws into Gabriel and pulled him farther down, desperate to have something - anything - to rut against. Who was Gabriel to deny him that?</p><p> </p><p>Jesse himself acted without reluctance or shame. His teeth nicked at Gabriel’s own throat, his whines turning to a low, needy moan when Gabriel finally paid adequate attention to his cock, taking it into his hand and giving it a few lazy, experimental pumps. Jesse legitimately snarled when he stopped.</p><p> </p><p>“Brat,” Gabriel muttered, lapping and suckling at the spot he’d left bleeding. “Didn’t anyone teach you any manners?”</p><p> </p><p>He was once again reminded that Jesse, despite his submission, was far from weak or harmless. In a dizzying display of strength, Gabriel was pushed straight up and onto the ground, Jesse soon following and sitting pridefully on his lap.</p><p> </p><p>“Had an oni fella teach me some at one point.” Jesse flashed his teeth in a lecherous grin. With nimble fingers, he made quick work of Gabriel’s belt, pulling his cock free from his pants before sending a coy wink his way. “So, itadakimasu.”</p><p> </p><p>Jesse really was a brat. He licked a broad stripe upwards before settling for teasing the head with the very tip of his tongue, and every time Gabriel tried to buck up, he would pull away with a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“Didn’t anyone teach you any manners?” he mimicked, taunting and brash. “What’s the magic word?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Now</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel couldn’t miss the tremor that went down Jesse’s spine. Powerful or not, the kid let out a low whine, cheeks turning a sinful shade of red at the authority behind the command. Jesse lowered his head back down with a spark of something desperate in his golden eyes. It was almost unsurprising that he jerked Gabriel’s hands to his head, the croon he gave when fingers pulled his hair hint enough at what he was asking for.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse wanted to be used. He wanted to be pushed and shoved and kicked like a mutt, and Gabriel couldn’t help the laugh that slipped past his lips.</p><p> </p><p>“Remember that you asked for it,” he said, and before Jesse seemed to comprehend what came out of Gabriel’s mouth, his head was forced down onto Gabriel’s cock</p><p> </p><p>Jesse’s eyes watered, cheeks flushed as Gabriel set a brutal pace right off the bat, taking no mercy, chasing his own pleasure. It was truly a sight to behind. Pink lips stretch so perfectly around his dick, dribbling drool with every rough thrust into his throat. The little moans Jesse made was enough to tighten the building coil of heat in Gabriel’s stomach, and with renewed vigor and a savage grip, he slammed Jesse’s head down until a few hairs came loose in his hands.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse was obviously on cloud nine. His cock throbbed against Gabriel’s leg, and there was a visible struggle between trying to focus on getting oxygen and rutting on his partner to get any sort of relief and friction. Perhaps Gabriel should be a bit merciful. He yanked Jesse’s head away and threw him onto his back, hardly allowing Jesse time to recover as he then flipped him onto his stomach. Gabriel had an idea he wanted to try, anyways.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay down there?” he asked, to which Jesse happily nodded. “Good. Stay down and hold still.”</p><p> </p><p>Though it was cold in his hands, Gabriel reached over and dipped his finger into the discarded deer skull. His hand came up slick with the remnants that the flower had left. Perfect.</p><p> </p><p>Whether it was because he wanted to take his time or because Jesse’s frustrated begging was a beautiful symphony to his ears, Gabriel wasn’t sure, but he enjoyed every second he took stretching Jesse out. Jesse didn’t seem to share the same sentiment. He bucked back into Gabriel’s hand, desperate little sobs wracking his body mixed with vicious snarls that no normal human could ever make. Both only increased when Gabriel finally slipped his fingers out. He pressed his body down on Jesse’s, teeth nipping at his neck with a wicked smile.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you want, Jesse?” he murmured. He pressed fervent kisses along his partner’s skin, waiting cruelly for an answer. “You have to tell me what you want.”</p><p> </p><p>“You-“ Jesse gave a weak sob as Gabriel took his neglected cock into his hand, teasing just enough to get him riled up but not doing anything to help. “You’re a bastard, you know-“</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel truly felt cruel as he pulled back completely from Jesse, leaving him on the ground, but the look of distress and sinful want cast back his way was more than enough to make up for. Tears fell from Jesse’s eyes, lips trembling in a pathetic pout.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it!” he wailed. His cheeks turned redder than before as he raised his hips up, taunting Gabriel into action the best he could. “I just- <em>please</em>, I want you.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll have to be more specific.”</p><p> </p><p>With one last weak glare, Jesse muttered, “I want your cock, please.”</p><p> </p><p>Gabriel felt Jesse had done enough begging for the moment. He succumbed to the temptation before him and once again pressed his weight against Jesse’s back, and without hesitation, he thrust into Jesse, continuing the same rough pattern he’d already set from before.</p><p> </p><p>“Such a good boy, Jesse,” he purred, moaning at the glorious whines and cries that came from beneath him. He didn’t miss the way Jesse’s breath hitched at the praise, so he continued. “Look at you, so pretty for me. So obedient and good. Right, Jesse?”</p><p> </p><p>The kid sobbed and nodded as Gabriel fucked him in earnest. His claws dug into the earth beneath them, his back arching and his voice breaking as Gabriel hit something deep within him. After that, it was an endless stream of babbling and crying. The words that came from Jesse’s abused lips were mostly nonsense, but they spurred Gabriel on and over the edge. He felt the coil in his stomach snap as he buried himself deep inside of Jesse, the white hot pleasure hardly fading as he continued to fuck Jesse through the orgasm. Only when his energy was drained did he stop.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse himself was in a pitiful state. His cum had splattered against his stomach and the blanket beneath him, but regardless, he was completely content as Gabriel laid them both down to rest. Gabriel would’ve pulled out if Jesse hadn’t snarled when he tried to do so, pressing farther back into Gabriel to close the distance he had tried to make. It looked like they’d be staying connected until Jesse was satisfied.</p><p> </p><p>“You okay?” Gabriel asked, trailing his fingers along Jesse’s skin until it stopped at his stomach.</p><p> </p><p>His breath hitched as his hand pressed flat; either he was crazy or he could fucking feel the slight bulge in Jesse’s abdomen where he was. Jesse obviously noticed and snickered at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Better than okay. Let’s do it again!”</p><p> </p><p>———</p><p> </p><p>It was a long and rather eventful night for both Jesse and Gabriel, and both were quiet sore by the time the sun had finally risen. Gabriel was just thankful they were at the lake; at least they could clean up the mess that they’d made.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse was currently in his wolf form (he still had no clothes from his previous transformation), and he was antsy to leave for many reasons. Gabriel was, too. They both feared that Jack and Reinhardt would catch up to them, and it would be almost impossible for Gabriel to explain that no, Jesse was not a monster to be killed. In fact, Jesse had not only saved Gabriel, but he’d also saved the village from the wrath of the Witch and her hellhounds. Still, they would never believe that. There were, however, two others who might, and so Gabriel was determined to get Jesse to them as fast as he could.</p><p> </p><p>Like the night before, Gabriel settled himself onto Jesse’s back and held on as they darted through the forest. It was still just as gloomy as ever. It all seemed to pass by much too fast as Jesse carefully began to slow, and a rickety old fence greeted them at the very entrance of the forest. Jesse shifted back when Gabriel slid down off of him, gratefully taking the blanket to wrap around his body.</p><p> </p><p>“So...” Jesse said. His smile was genuine, but it wavered as he walked with Gabriel to the fence. “I guess this is goodbye, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not unless you want it to be.” Gabriel gave Jesse a gentle pat on the head. He carefully hopped over the fence, adding, “I’m going to bring you clothes, anyways, but keep the blanket.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure? What if-“</p><p> </p><p>Before Jesse could finish his sentence, his foot caught something on the ground, sending him flying straight over the fence.</p><p> </p><p>Past the edge of the forest.</p><p> </p><p>He stared up at the sky with a dazed look in his eyes, and slowly sat back up with a groan. The knowledge of what just happened, however, hit him like a brick. Gabriel stared as Jesse patted all over his body as if he would disappear, then he touched the ground, like he couldn’t believe it was even real. He finally bounced back up with a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“I left!” he cheered, throwing himself at Gabriel for a hug. “I’m free! I don’t have to stay in that shit forest anymore!”</p><p> </p><p>Though Gabriel was genuinely excited for Jesse, his heart dropped in his stomach as he walked back over to the fence and picked up just what Jesse had tripped on. It was his sheepskin. It was folded neatly by careful hands, endowed with a familiar magic so powerful that it felt alive. Gabriel didn’t even want to think about why the Witch had left it there.</p><p> </p><p>Jesse didn’t seem to care one bit. He wrapped the blanket around his waist to hide his nakedness, throwing the pelt over his shoulders and fastening it with a gleeful smile. Oddly enough, his features didn’t change like they had before.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think it’s working, Jesse,” Gabriel said, but Jesse simply waved him off with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“The sheepskin’s only purpose is to keep me safe. Since you saw what I was and accepted it, I don’t have to hide from you anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m glad,” Gabriel said. He took Jesse’s hand and began to lead him steadily down the hill. “You made it just in time for the Harvest Festival, so I hope you’re hungry for some pie.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Translations:<br/>- hündchen: pup<br/>- Ich kümmere mich um dich: I’ll look after you<br/>- Höllenhunde: Hellhounds</p><p>Fun fact about the author! Did you know I’m sex-repulsed? I try my best for smut scenes and, as my friend describes it, it’s a bad case of ‘don’t get high off your own supply’ XD</p><p>Anyways, I hoped you liked my fic! As always, feel free to point out any errors and leave a comment, I love talking to you guys! ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ I hope to continue writing for you in the future!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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